Well, that's a wrap for 2012. I've had a lot of fun starting my blog and meeting all you creative gals this year. I can't wait to see what 2013 will bring. But before we look ahead to the New Year, I wanted to take the time to look back over some of the fun posts from December...

My friend Wren shared her beautiful handmade dreamcatcher on her blog earlier this month. I just love it's unique shape and touch of sparkle. Be sure to check out her blog as she is a fun loving, stylish gal with a love of good books. (P.S. In case you missed my dreamcatcher creation you can check it out here.)

I know snowflakes are typically icy and cold, but these ones, they've got heart. My friend, Caleisha, mentioned on this post that Sandy Hook Elementary School was looking for paper snowflake donations so that the kids and teachers will be welcomed to a winter wonderland when they head back to school in January.

I know we were all shaken by the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. In the holiday spirit, sending a few snowflakes is a great way to give some hope and encouragement back to the community. Each snowflake they receive represents an individual who is thinking dearly of them as they work to rebuild their lives.

If you'd like to participate, the deadline is January 12, 2013. Mail your snowflakes to:

I'll be sending a few snowflakes out this week, and I'd like to encourage you to participate as well. It is a small way to help, but the more people who participate, the bigger the impact will be. So go out and grab some friends, family, paper and scissors and let's send them a blizzard of paper snowflakes to let them know they are in our thoughts.

UPDATE: I thought it would be fun to include readers' posts who were participating. (Send me a link if you are sending some snowflakes.) Check it out and spread the word:

This is a fun little project that will take you back to gradeschool arts and crafts, but, trust me, once you've got these beauties up on a wall, they'll look all grown up.

Ready to create your own winter wonderland?

HERE'S THE HOW TO:
Cut out snowflakes in different shapes and sizes.

I used a bit of tape to stick each snowflake to the wall. Some types of tape seemed to work better than others, so you may need to experiment to see what will work best on your wall.

This is also a fun project to get your kids involved in holiday decorating. They'll love getting crafty and seeing how many different snowflake shapes they can come up with. Plus, they'll be so proud to see their handiwork displayed for all to see.

All right, it's time to grab a mug of hot cocoa, curl up under a fuzzy blanket and enjoy the beautiful snowfall you created.

Last year, my family decided to come visit me for Christmas, and (epps!!) I didn't have any fancy holiday decorations. Thinking fast, I found some Christmas wrapping paper and created these festive holiday garlands. They really created a cheerful holiday mood.

Ready to make some wrapping paper garland?

HERE'S THE HOW TO:

All you have to do is create interlocking rings of wrapping paper. You can use any style and design of wrapping paper that suits your decor, so the possibilities are endless.

Next, is deciding where to use the garland to decorate the house. You can...

These are the same garlands I used last year, so you can see that they held up really well in storage. I didn't do anything fancy to store them, I just threw them into a big plastic storage box.

This is also a great way to re-use old wrapping paper after you've finished unwrapping gifts. You could save the used paper to use as garland next Christmas or create some garlands to throw up as New Year's decorations.

Hi guys, I'm chatting with Nicole over at her blog, Happy Pretty Things. Come by so we can get to know each other a bit better. See ya there!

Also, be sure to check out Nicole's blog. She is one of my very first bloggy friends and her blog is filled with all things happy and pretty. We could all use more of that, right??! And, just in case you were still looking for a holiday card, be sure to check out Nicole's Etsy shop, Stuff by Nicole. She's such a talented designer too!

I'm a 100% certifiable crazy-dog-lady, and what better way for me to celebrate the season than getting my pups involved in some holiday crafting?? This was a fun little project that got my dogs involved in making crafts instead of chewing on them this time around.

Have a furry pal you'd like to create an ornament for? It is 'paws'itively perfect for the holidays!

HERE'S THE HOW TO:

Stuff You'll Need:

Oven bake clay

Paint

Paint brush

Oven

Method:

Make a flat shape with the clay large enough to fit your pup's paw print. Place the clay shape on a dish and stamp your pup's foot into it. I added some texture to the paw print for added interest, then baked the clay in the oven according to the instructions on the package. Be sure to make a hole at the top before baking so you can hang the ornament later.

Next, paint the paw print a contrasting color to make it stand out.

All that is left is to thread some twine through the hole so you can hang it on your tree...

Who knew my pup Tanner had such a crafty side??!! Hopefully, he'll collaborate on some more projects with me again soon!

My friend, Meream, recently showcased some ornaments on her blog here that reminded me of the Christmas ornaments my mom used to make. When I asked my mom about her ornaments, lo and behold she said she would ship them to me!! I was absolutely delighted to open the package of handmade holiday goodies. Each one was made with such detail and care. And lucky for me, she also included the leftover supplies, because (of course) I just can't wait to make a few of my own.

Here are some of the darling ornaments my mom sent...

Getting these in the mail was like having Christmas come early and I can't wait to put them up on our tree. Thanks Mom!

A few of you (ahem... Caleisha and Stephanie) noticed a sneak peak of this little holiday decoration over on Instagram recently. I got the idea for this DIY from this adorable mini mitten garland at Anthropologie last year. I wanted to create my own, but on a larger scale.

Ready to make some warm and cozy holiday decor?

HERE'S THE HOW TO:

I crocheted my own mittens using a pattern from Tangled, which is no longer available, but no worries I found a similar free pattern Crochet Me. If you don't crochet, you could get the look by finding mittens at thrift stores, re-using your kids' old mittens when they grow out of them, or buying mittens out of season when you can get a good deal on them. You could also cut mitten shapes out of felt to get a similiar look. Once you have your mittens, all that is left is to attach them to some string, twine or ribbon. I tied mine to a length of crochet chain stitch.